Québec-Transplant and Héma-Québec applaud the government’s commitment to assign the management of a consent registry for organ and tissue collection to the Régie de l’assurance-maladie du Québec (RAMQ), as stipulated in Bill 125, An Act to facilitate organ and tissue donation. They also acknowledge measures intended to facilitate organ donation, particularly the proposed modifications to the Act respecting Labour Standards concerning live donors, disclosed today by Mr. Yves Bolduc, Minister of Health and Social Services.

The agreement in principle concluded on July 5 by the management of Héma-Québec and the three CSN unions representing the Montréal facility was ratified at three general assemblies held on July 17, July 18 and July 25.

As part of its "This summer, lend a hand. Lend an arm." campaign, launched on June 14, Héma-Québec is appealing to the generosity of blood donors; the coming weeks will be important for maintaining the collective blood reserve at an adequate level.

Héma-Québec is appealing to blood donors, asking them to come to the blood drive sites during the five-day strike announced by three Montréal facility unions affiliated with the CSN on June 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19. Héma-Québec would like to remind the public that all scheduled blood drives will be maintained.

As part of the third National Blood Donor Week, which starts today and ends on June 20, Héma-Québec would like to remind the public about the importance of giving blood and thank all those who contribute to this cause.

Héma-Québec has passed Health Canada’s annual inspection of its facilities and, consequently, her establishment license is maintained. The yearly audit took place between October 5-16 for Montréal and between November 30 and December 4th for Québec City.

Héma-Québec is appealing to blood donors, asking them to come to the blood drive sites during the two strike days organized by three Montréal facility unions affiliated with the CSN on May 27-28. Héma-Québec would like to remind the public that all scheduled blood drives are being maintained.

Héma-Québec feels that the decision by the three CSN unions to strike again on May 27 and May 28 will prolong the labour conflict uselessly. Héma-Québec will, nevertheless, make sure that despite this situation the hospitals will have blood products in sufficient quantities to treat their patients.

Héma-Québec will do everything necessary to prevent negative impacts on the collective blood supply, despite the announcement by three of the nine unions representing its unionized personnel of a possible strike on May 5, 2010.

For this National Volunteer Week, with the theme “Volunteer for life”, Héma-Québec would like to highlight the vital role played by community partners in maintaining the collective blood supply at a sufficient level.

For National Organ and Tissue Donor Week 2010, Héma-Québec is taking another step forward in its efforts to raise blood donor and volunteer awareness. From April 18 to April 25, the organization will encourage people at all the blood donor clinics organized throughout the province to indicate their intention to donate organs and tissues.

Every year, Black History Month highlights the indisputable contribution of Black communities to political, cultural, social and economic life in Québec. With this in mind, Héma-Québec is pleased to be part of the 2010 Black History Month.